Panic
by karatekid1018
Summary: The Warbler's tradition of initiation goes too far. Better than the summary. For embrace-the-deception. And in the story, the initiations are known to the school and are allowed and not considered bullying, this just goes too far. Just clearing that up :


** This is my second fic of this type. I for some reason am obsessed with Warbler initiations that go too far and Kurt ends up scared. I'm just weird like that :) Enjoy!**

** P.S. I'm also dedicating this to embrace-the-deception. Just because she's amazing as anything! =D I might just have another prompt for you if you're up for it, I'll post it in the ending author's note.**

Kurt was having the time of his life at Dalton. He had an amazing best friend, the Warblers, and his grades had never been better.

Of course, for Kurt, whenever he's happy, the universe somehow finds a way to make him unhappy again.

It started when he had decided to join the Warblers. He noticed that throughout his first practice, the Council was very whispery and everyone was shooting each other mischievous glances, sly smiles. Kurt felt like there was a joke he wasn't in on, he felt like he was intruding. He didn't notice, however, how he was the first and only one to leave Warbler's practice.

Once Kurt had left, the boys began chatting excitedly.

"When are we going to do it?" Jeff asked excitedly.

"Thank God Blaine's not here, 'cause he'd make us stop just because he has a crush on Kurt!" Nick exclaimed.

"This is gonna rock!" many of the boys said. Wes banged his gavel, demanding silence.

"OK, I know I'm supposed to say 'point of order', but I'm letting go of the euphemisms today: SHUT UP!" he shouted. Everyone silenced. "We will start the initiation today. I have place cameras through the Warblers' dorm house, by Kurt's locker, and the 300 wing hallway, which is where this will occur. We will not see Kurt's reaction until Friday, when we let him in on the initiation and watch the footage of him. Every day, we will scare Kurt into thinking a monster is stalking him, or a ghost or something. Everyone has agreed on this plan?"

"Wes, take the stick out from up your butt and let's go! Stop being so formal all the freaking time!" David said excitedly from next to him. Wes just sighed, but a large smile broke across his face.

"Fine! It's time to initiate our newest Warbler, Kurt Hummel. Let's go!"

Together, the Warblers walked across campus to their private dorm house. Any Warbler lived there, and only the Warblers. Most thought it was special privilege, but the Warblers knew it was because they were so crazy they needed one dorm house to keep the insanity all in one place.

"Look, there he is!" Jeff hissed. They had reached the dorm house, seeing Kurt on the front porch, reading a book. Wes went over to the side of the porch hidden by a bush. He took off his shoes and put them on the wood floor of the porch, slapping them down to make footstep noises. The Warblers quieted their snickers as Kurt's head snapped up, looking around.

"Hello?" he asked. "Who's there?" Silence as the Warblers could hardly contain their laughter but somehow managed to. Kurt stood abruptly, shaking his head slightly before going inside. David ran to the back door while the others dissolved into giggled.

David opened the backdoor and saw Kurt down the hallway. He rounded a corner to be hidden from sight, and began stomping his feet to imitate more footsteps, getting steadily louder.

"WHO'S THERE?" Kurt shouted. David snickered as he ran out, not bothering to look back.

Oh, how he wished he looked back.

~oOo~

The next day was Tuesday. Blaine would be back in two days from his vacation, so they'd need to work fast. If Blaine came back and figured out what they were doing, he'd freak. Because let's face it; Blaine would freak out if they accidentally bumped into Kurt in the hallway.

The Warblers made sure to keep Kurt busy until the bell rang, so he was caught in the empty 300 wing hallway. Jeff was at one end and Nick at the other. While Kurt was coming toward Jeff's end, Jeff would began to stomp his feet like footsteps, as the others had. Kurt would turn to go back towards Nick's end to take a different route, and Nick would do the same. This went on for a few minutes and then Nick and Jeff left, snickering as they walked to the outside courtyard, gone before Kurt could utter a single word.

They hadn't seen Kurt. They really wished they had.

~oOo~

Wednesday, one more day until Blaine got back. Today was going to be the funniest day. Kurt had gotten held up at his locker, as per the plan. Wes had jammed it shut so he couldn't open it until the bell rang. The hallway was empty, so as Kurt was digging through his locker, their final plan began. The footsteps, from Trent and Cameron, came from either ends of the hallway, getting louder and _seemingly _closer while Trent and Cameron actually stayed stationary.

"WHO THE HELL IS THERE?" Kurt shrieked. That was when it started.

Each Warbler had strings attached to a locker, and began pulling back and forth, slamming the lockers.

Kurt couldn't see them opening seemingly by themselves. He only heard the slams. He heard the footsteps. He saw the face he'd been trying to forget, he saw those soulless eyes.

He screamed and fell unconscious. None of the Warbler's noticed. They were already gone.

~oOo~

"Hey guys!"

It was Blaine. He entered the choir room at five with a smile on his face, happy to be back (and to see a certain blue-eyed countertenor, but that was beside the point).

"Hey, Blaine!" Wes said happily. "Have you seen Kurt?" Blaine's face fell.

"Actually, no. I haven't seen him all day. I was going to ask you the same question," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Want to go check the office?"

Wes nodded, standing up and reluctantly giving the gavel to David. Together, Blaine and Wes strode down the hall to the main office where the secretary, Mrs. Sanchez, sat, filing her nails.

"Mrs. Sanchez?" Blaine asked. The secretary hummed, looking up. "We were wondering the whereabouts of Kurt Hummel. Nobody's seen him all day." Mrs. Sanchez frowned.

"No one told you?" she asked. Both boys shook their heads, and the woman sighed.

"Kurt Hummel is in the hospital. He had a panic attack yesterday."

~oOo~

It would be safe to say Blaine Anderson was freaking out. That would be the understatement of the century, though, because Blaine almost had a panic attack himself when he heard the news.

"What?" Blaine shrieked. "Where?"

"The 400 wing, about 3rd period. Why?"

Wes paled.

"Isn't that where Kurt's locker is?" Blaine questioned. Wes nodded, eyes wide and staring straight ahead. "Wes, what's wrong?"

Wes bolted. He needed to see the camera footage. He _needed _to.

When he reached the Warblers' choir room, he was panting while Blaine was hot on his heels.

"Everyone. My room. NOW!" Wes shouted, bolting again. He didn't care that he was panting, that his breath was harder to catch. He wondered if it was exhaustion or because of his own fear.

When every Warbler had entered Wes' room and found a seat, Wes went to his computer with a disk of the week's footage.

"Blaine…we initiated Kurt," Wes blurted out. Blaine turned red.

"Don't…don't tell me that this is what Kurt is in the hospital for," Blaine said. Wes stared at the ground.

"It might be," Wes said. The Warblers' eyes widened.

"Wait, Kurt is in the _hospital_?" David said fearfully. Wes nodded.

"He had a _panic attack_," Wes stressed. David's eyes widened so much it would've put Miss Pillsbury to shame.

"Oh my God, you don't think…"

"There's only one way to find out," Wes said sullenly. He pressed play on his computer and waited.

The first shot was when Kurt was on the porch. He looked mildly afraid, but hardly. The Warblers felt a bit easier seeing that. Maybe it wasn't their fault.

And then they saw the hallway. David was at the end, making the footsteps. They looked at Kurt, who was looking around frantically, eyes bugging out and sweat on his forehead. He leaned on a wall when the sound stopped and David had left. He was hyperventilating, eyes closed and looking absolutely terrified.

Wes gulped. He knew what was coming next. That didn't make it easier to see though.

There was the hallway, the 300 wing. They couldn't see them, only Kurt, but they knew where Nick and Jeff were. Kurt began towards where Jeff was when the footsteps started. His eyes grew wide.

"No…"

He turned the other way frantically, walking a bit faster. That's when Nick began, and Kurt gasped.

"Not here…that's not possible…" Kurt breathed in terror. After a bit more of the little game, Nick and Jeff left. They left one moment too early, because the minute they were gone, Kurt's eyes squeezed shut, he fisted his hands in his hair, and screamed.

This scream was a scream of pure terror. This was a scream of pure agony. He began to cry too, the tears streaming freely down his face as he sobbed and screamed like something was slowly ripping him apart, like someone had stabbed him with a rusty, jagged blade and was slowly twisting it.

"What did you _do_?" Blaine shouted angrily. His eyes were wide at the screen, where Kurt was shaking his head as to will away a bad memory as he screamed.

"I…" Wes had no words. At least not yet. He wanted, he _needed _to see the next scene. He got his wish, and immediately regretted it.

In the empty hallway, already Kurt looked terrified. He kept peering over his shoulder as if something was constantly behind him. When the footsteps started, his eyes widened and he clutched to his clothes desperately.

When the locker slams started, he began whimpering, looking around frantically. When it stopped, and the Warblers known they had disappeared, Kurt screamed again.

They gasped as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to the ground, unmoving and seeming paler than usual.

The screen faded to black, but Blaine was only seeing red.

"ARE. YOU. CRAZY?" Blaine shouted.

"We're sorry, Blaine!" Thad said. "We didn't know Kurt believed in or was so scared of the supernatural!" Blaine scoffed.

"Are you serious? You think Kurt's afraid of GHOSTS? He's not afraid of ghosts, he's afraid for his life!"

"His life?" Wes questioned. Blaine nodded.

"At his old school, Kurt's life was threatened by some Neanderthal whose goal in life was to make Kurt's hell!" Blaine shouted. "He was pushed into lockers and once was even _sexually assaulted _when that same Neanderthal was secretly in the closet and harbored feelings for Kurt. He forced a kiss on him, and tried to again before Kurt pushed him away. And that Neanderthal told Kurt that if Kurt ever told anyone about the kiss, he'd _kill him. _Did you think that _maybe _those lockers would remind him of the multiple times he was slammed into them himself? Did you ever even _conceive _that those footsteps made him think Karofsky was following him?"

It was dead silent.

"I'll take that as a no," Blaine growled, picking up his backpack. "I'm going to the hospital to make sure Kurt is OK. Don't be bigger idiots while I'm gone again."

And then Blaine left, and the Warblers could do nothing but stare at the screen where Kurt had fallen.

And it was all their fault.

~oOo~

"Kurt?"

Kurt jumped, eyes wide from his hospital bed. His arms were raised in a defensive position until he saw Blaine. He lowered his arms, but still looked at him warily, as if it wasn't Blaine standing in front of him. "Are you alright?"

Silently, Kurt shook his head, closing his eyes. Blaine walked over to the bed, sat down next to him, and laid his hand on top of Kurt's. Kurt whimpered, shying away from him, and Blaine's eyes widened.

"You don't have to be scared of me, Kurt, it's alright," Blaine said calmly and comfortingly, waiting for Kurt to reciprocate the touch. After a second, Kurt lightly put his hand on top of Blaine's. Blaine smiled, and Kurt managed a tiny one before it faded away.

"How…how did he get to Dalton, Blaine?" Kurt whimpered. Blaine felt like crying, Kurt looked and sounded so broken.

"He didn't, Kurtie, I swear. You were safe all along…it was the Warblers."

Kurt's eyes bugged out.

"The _Warblers_?" he asked. Blaine nodded.

"It's a sort of…initiation. They do something different every year for the newest Warblers. During Nick's, they locked him out of his room in his underwear and he had to work up the courage to walk to the main office to get a spare key." Kurt managed a bitter chuckle before looking sullen again.

"So they decided _this _was a good initiation?" Kurt asked angrily but brokenly. It was like someone had just reached inside and ripped away his sense of safety he had acquired at Dalton.

"They were trying to make you think you were being haunted or something," Blaine murmured, absentmindedly stroking Kurt's fingers with his own.

"What, did they expect me to start dramatically shrieking 'GHOST!' or 'MONSTER!'?" Kurt asked sarcastically.

"…More or less."

Kurt was dumbfounded at the boys' idiocy, their utter lack of sense.

"Did you…did you tell them?" Blaine knew immediately what Kurt meant.

"…Yes."

Kurt was sad maybe, but not surprised. Blaine was known to be very revealing when angry. He hadn't wanted the Warblers to know though, but what was done was done.

"Fine, whatever, I don't really care anymore. But…I can tell you anything, right Blaine?"

"Of course," Blaine said earnestly.

"…In McKinley, Karofsky used to follow me, making sure I always heard him so I knew he was there but didn't know exactly where he was. He thought it was the best way to make my life hell. So I was expecting him to be there but never knowing exactly when," Kurt explained sadly.

"Oh my God, and they guys…"

"Did the same thing, yes. And…I was so scared, Blaine," Kurt finally let go, leaning into Blaine's awaiting arms and sobbing. "I couldn't handle it, and now whenever I see the Warblers, I'll never be able to stop imagining _him _and-"

"Shh shh, it's alright, honey, I've got you," Blaine said. Kurt pulled away immediately, looking in Blaine's eyes and waiting for him to realize what he had said.

"You.."

"Oh God, Kurt, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"What?" Kurt asked. "Gotten my hopes up?"

"Your hopes up?" Blaine asked. "You…"

"Never mind, forget it," Kurt said, wiping his tears away.

"Kurt Hummel," Blaine said sternly, grabbing Kurt's chin and lifting his face so their eyes met. "Do…do you love me?" Kurt gulped, but realized it was now or never.

"…Yes."

Blaine breathed in sharply.

"But I don't want that to change any-"

"I love you too."

Wow, Kurt _really _hadn't been expecting that.

"You…you do?"

"Of course," Blaine insisted, linking their hands together. "Always have…I don't want to steal this like Karofsky did, Kurt, but I'd really like to kiss you."

Kurt pretended to think it over before giggling, leaning in to kiss Blaine square on the lips.

All of Kurt's anxieties faded away, every thought of Karofsky and the idiotic boys back at Dalton had melted away just with that kiss. Kurt pressed deeper, wrapping his arms around Blaine's neck and smiling into the kiss. Blaine arms wound themselves around Kurt's waist, smiling as both their mouths opened and the kiss was as deep as it could possibly get, and as heavenly as it could possibly get too.

Kissing Kurt was perfect, Blaine thought.

Kissing Blaine was a dream come true, Kurt thought.

The rest of the world melted away when Kurt pulled away and nuzzled into the crook of Blaine's neck, pressing gentle kisses to the skin and sighing.

"I've wanted this for a long time," Kurt sighed in content. Blaine whimpered, nodding, not much else to say considering Kurt was gently biting and sucking on the skin of his neck.

"You better have a scarf to loan me," Blaine moaned. Kurt smirked, pulling back.

"So, does this mean…"

"That you're my boyfriend?" Blaine asked. "Damn well better be."

"Good," Kurt murmured, pressing a small kiss to Blaine's lips with a grin. "And your first official act as boyfriend is to help me get revenge on those idiots for terrifying me."

Blaine sighed as they leant back, gently falling asleep.

"Of course."

~oOo~

The next day, Kurt was back, and the Warblers were thrilled. Wes saw him first, next to his locker with Blaine.

"Kurt!" he shouted, running towards him. Immediately, Kurt whimpered loudly, locking his arms around Blaine's waist and burying his face in his shoulder, refusing to look up. He was still very scared of the Warblers, considering they reminded him of Karofsky. "What is it Kurt?"

"What do _you _think Wes?" Blaine hissed. "You used a favorite pastime of Kurt's bully by making him know he was there but never exactly where as his _initiation_. He's scared!" Wes gaped.

"Of…us?"

"Yes, you idiot! It's OK, Kurt, baby, I've got you, I love you, you're safe, they won't hurt you," Blaine was murmuring into Kurt's ear, all the while sending Wes glares that clearly meant "Get the hell out!"

Wes scampered off, determined to make things right.

~oOo~

_Blaine…I know you hate me right now, but could you bring Kurt to the choir room? –Wes_

_ This better be an apology. –Blaine_

_ Nothing more, nothing less –Wes_

_ …Fine. But I will have us leave if he gets too scared. –Blaine_

_ Understood. See you in five minutes –Wes_

_ Fine –Blaine_

Blaine put his phone down and wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist from behind.

"Kurt, baby?" Blaine murmured into Kurt's ear.

"Hmm?"

"Wes wants us to go to the choir room." Kurt flinched.

"I…I don't want to."

"I know you don't, sweetheart, but they want to apologize. They won't hurt you, they don't want to hurt you, and even if they tried, I would never let them. They love you, but not as much as I do," Blaine reassured him. Kurt sighed.

"Fine. But expect your circulation to be cut off because I'm going to be holding on to your hand for dear life."

"Any excuse to hold your hand is fine," Blaine said with a grin and a wink. Kurt blushed, standing up, taking Blaine's hand, and kissing him softly.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For loving me, for taking care of me, just…for being Blaine."

"Well, you're welcome then. And thank _you _for loving me back, and just for being Kurt."

"You're cheesy."

"You started it," Blaine joked, opening the door and looking at his boyfriend lovingly. "Are you ready for this?" Kurt sighed.

"As I'll ever be."

"Is that code for no?"

"Yes."

"Wait, yes?"

"No."

"So, no then?"

"We're not doing this."

Blaine shrugged with a giggle before leading them across campus. When they reached the door, Blaine gave Kurt one last lingering kiss before opening the door.

The Warblers were arranged in song formation, Wes opening his mouth to sing first as they burst into eight-part harmony. The sight of them made Kurt cringe, but he stood rooted to his spot, clutching Blaine's hand like a lifeline.

_There was a time when we were down and out_

_There was a place when we were starting over_

_We let the bough break, we let the heartache in_

_Who's sorry now? _

David took over, looking like he was about to cry because Kurt was looking at them with pure fear in his eyes at just the sight of them.

_There was a world when we were standing still_

_And for a moment we were separated_

_And then you found her, you let the stranger in_

_Who's sorry now, who's sorry now? _

There were no solos now, only the combined voices of the other boys.

_What, what kind of fool_

_Tears it apart?_

_Leaving me pain and sorrow_

_Losing you now wonderin' why_

_Where will I be tomorrow? _

Jeff and Nick took over a small harmony as the other boys did their own harmonies.

_Forever more that's what we are to be_

_Without each other_

_We'll be remembering when _

_There was a time when we were down and out_

_(We cried)_

_There was a place when we were starting over_

_(We lied)_

_We let the bough break, we let the heartache in_

_Who's sorry now, who's sorry now? _

_What, what kind of fool?_

_What, what kind of fool_

_Tears it apart, tears it apart_

_Leaving me pain and sorrow_

_Oh! Losin' you now, how can I win?_

_Where will I be tomorrow? _

Cameron, Wes, David, Jeff, and Nick took a five part harmony for this part, the other boys "ooh-ing" in the background.

_Was there a moment when I cut you down, no_

_Played around, what have I done, I only apologize_

_For being as they say, the last to know_

_It has to show_

_When someone is in your eyes _

_What, what kind of fool?_

_(Tears it apart)_

_Tears it apart_

_(Leaving me pain)_

_Leaving me pain and sorrow_

_Oh, losing you now_

_(Wonderin' why?)_

_Wonderin' why?_

_Where will I be tomorrow? _

_(What, what kind of fool?)_

_What kind of fool?_

_(Tears it apart)_

_Tears it apart_

_(Leaving me pain and sorrow)_

_Leaving me pain_

_(Losing you now)_

_Losing you now, losing you now_

_How can I win? How can I win?_

_Where will I be tomorrow? _

The voices faded away, and all was silent. Kurt stared at them, sighed, and let go of Blaine's hand to face them.

"Courage," Blaine whispered. Kurt nodded with a tiny smile before looking back at the boys.

"What you did resulted in a panic attack and me in the hospital. You did not take into account my past experiences with bullies. I know you would never intentionally hurt me, but it is never a good thing when I think of you and can only see the boy who threatened to kill me."

Each boy winced, but Kurt continued.

"Now, we will work through this. You're all good friends, and will eventually gain my trust back. But this was unforgivable, and you need to give me space to work through my own problems before I can deal with you. Think about what you've done."

Kurt turned to leave with Blaine on his heels. Before he left, he turned back with a small smile.

"Thank you for the song. It was beautiful."

And then he was gone, and the Warblers knew that eventually, they would gain Kurt's trust again.

**Why am I so obsessed with an initiation/prank going too far? **

** So, pass or fail? I'm not sure if it's my best.**

** Please review!**

** Oh, and Embrace, here's the prompt for you if you're up for it: Kurt and Blaine (not dating yet, so AU) are on vacation at some beach on the East Coast where Blaine has a beach house. They're alone, and one morning at like, five, Blaine wakes up and Kurt isn't there. He goes down to the beach and sees Kurt…surfing. Imagine that for a moment…hot, right? So, he wipes out, and Blaine goes in and sees that he's fine. Hot fluff insues, nothing too smutty please. Thanks, love you! :)**


End file.
